TAMPA — Two things we learned from the Miami Dolphins‘ preseason finale Friday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
- Liam Eichenberg is basically a lock to start Week 1 at either center or right guard, depending on the health of Aaron Brewer.
- The Dolphins are absolutely open for business on the trade market ahead of Tuesday’s roster cuts deadline.
Miami Dolphins’ IOL Outlook
Eichenberg got the night off Friday, while fellow Dolphins IOL Robert Jones and Lester Cotton not only dressed, but played.
That says a lot about the Dolphins coaching staff’s evaluation of those three players two weeks ahead of the regular season. Eichenberg might be a popular target for fan criticism, but the Dolphins staff seemingly trusts him more than any of his competition.
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“It was an earned opportunity to be in a jersey and not pads by Liam,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said postgame Friday. “It was more so a reaction to what he’s been doing, day in and day out. He’s probably had as good of a camp as anybody and has really put together some good practices.”
That probably means Jack Driscoll will remain a backup. Driscoll was the Dolphins’ starting center Friday, but that audition for a bigger role didn’t go great. He got shoved into the backfield by Vita Vea on a third-and-short before an injury to Ryan Hayes bounced him out to tackle.
Tevita Tuliʻakiʻono Tuipulotu Mosese Vaʻhae Fehoko Faletau Vea
aka Vita Vea 💪 pic.twitter.com/RCaf6o7WhD
— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2024
“I’ve got to just get my feet down quicker,” Driscoll said postgame. “It’s good to go out there and play against the best, though, you know what I mean? You have to test yourself against the best, and, you know, that’s how it is. Sometimes you lose some reps, but you learn. [I’ll] go back and watch it with coach and see what I can do better.”
The Dolphins’ evaluation of Jones, Cotton, and Driscoll, plus the uncertain health of Brewer and Isaiah Wynn, leaves the team particularly vulnerable at a position group that has been a concern all year.
So it stands to reason that the Dolphins will be active over the next 72 hours trying to line up a trade for another guard/center before teams make their final cuts on Tuesday.
“I’m very happy with this group,” McDaniel said Friday. “Those are things that [general manager] Chris [Grier] and I will talk about across the board just because we’re always open-minded to what makes the Dolphins the best.
“I’m way far away from even knowing what the 53[-man roster] will look like, in terms of you have to watch the tape and sit down with all your coaching staff and Chris and his department and iron those things out because there’s a lot of tough competitions.
“We’ll be, like we are every year, trying to see if things make sense. Sometimes you have discussions that don’t go through, sometimes you have no discussions. It just depends on how the overall complexion and getting some of the health back from these guys that played tonight and assessing all of that.”
Potential Miami Dolphins Trade Targets at IOL
Ricky Stromberg
Team: Washington Commanders
Seasons: Second
2023 Stats: Four games (zero starts), 24 offensive snaps (19 pass blocking), zero sacks allowed, one pressure allowed
2024 Outlook: Currently listed as the Commanders’ third-team center and right guard; Dolphins would inherit his $991,095 base salary
Tyler Shatley
Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Seasons: 11th
2023 Stats: 17 games (six starts), 499 offensive snaps (288 pass blocking), one sack allowed, nine pressures allowed
2024 Outlook: Currently listed as the Jaguars’ third-team left guard; Dolphins would inherit his $1.2 million base salary
Matt Hennessy
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Seasons: Fifth
2023 Stats: N/A (On IR entire season)
2024 Outlook: Currently listed as the Eagles’ second-team center; Dolphins would inherit his $1.3 million base salary
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Jamaree Salyer
Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Seasons: Third
2023 Stats: 17 games (17 starts), 1,095 offensive snaps (712 pass blocking), eight sacks allowed, 38 pressures allowed
2024 Outlook: Currently listed as the Chargers’ second-team right guard; Dolphins would inherit his $985,000 base salary
Dalton Risner
Team: Minnesota Vikings
Seasons: Sixth
2023 Stats: 15 games (11 starts), 713 offensive snaps (459 pass blocking), zero sacks allowed, 29 pressures allowed
2024 Outlook: Currently listed as the Vikings’ second-team right guard; Dolphins would inherit his $1.4 million base salary
Trey Hill
Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Seasons: Fourth
2023 Stats: N/A (did not appear in a game)
2024 Outlook: Currently listed as the Bengals’ second-team center; Dolphins would inherit his $1.1 million base salary
Daniel Brunskill
Team: Tennessee Titans
Seasons: Sixth
2023 Stats: 14 games (14 starts), 728 offensive snaps (417 pass blocking), two sacks allowed, 21 pressures allowed
2024 Outlook: Currently listed as the Titans’ second-team center; Dolphins would inherit his $2.4 million base salary
Ben Cleveland
Team: Baltimore Ravens
Seasons: Fourth
2023 Stats: 16 games (two starts), 160 offensive snaps (75 pass blocking), zero sacks allowed, two pressures allowed
2024 Outlook: Currently listed as the Ravens’ second-team right guard; Dolphins would inherit his $1.3 million base salary
Brady Christensen
Team: Carolina Panthers
Seasons: Fourth
2023 Stats: One game (one start), 72 offensive snaps (42 pass blocking), zero sacks allowed, three pressures allowed
2024 Outlook: Currently listed as the Panthers’ second-team right guard; Dolphins would inherit his $2.8 million base salary
